Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie

Breq used to be the AI of a giant spaceship in the service of the aggressively colonialist Radchaii. As such she had a multiple consciousness, embodied in multiple ancillaries that carried out work on the ground. Something has happened to sever all her connections, leaving her with a single consciousness in one human ancillary body. Now she is looking for justice. The story jumps between the events that led up to Breq’s change of circumstance almost 20 years previously and her present day actions to redress them. The past deals with a complex political situation on the final planet to be annexed. The present starts on an icy frontier planet, where Breq seeks a weapon – and possible allies in her quest. It’s a complicated story, sometimes difficult to follow, which is made unnecessarily tricky by the Radchaii use of the female pronoun as a default. Everyone is referred to as she or her, regardless of gender, which is often confusing and it’s difficult to see what purpose it serves. Similarly, keeping track of the multiple split ancillaries of the highest power of the Radchaii is a frequent headfuck. Breq’s motivations are often a mystery even to herself, which is intriguing. As an inhuman, supposedly emotionless, AI she shows a lot of heart. This is the first in a series, which lays the groundwork for an epic adventure and possibly an epic love story. Whether it’s between a man and a woman or a same sex couple we may never know and perhaps the point is that we really don’t need to know.

The Good Turn, by Dervla McTiernan

Detective Sergeant Cormac Reilly is almost a secondary character at the start of McTiernan’s third novel about crime and policing in Galway. His offsider Peter Fisher is front and centre in a problematic investigation into a child abduction that winds up with Reilly suspended and Fisher banished. The two officers face losing their careers and everything that matters to them, so do they give up or do they fight? McTiernan’s depiction of the breadth and depth of corruption in the police force is detailed and depressing as she examines very different approaches to policing and the implications of shades of grey. She maintains suspense until the end, her strong character development overcoming the improbable coincidence the plot hinges on. As usual, she leaves the reader wanting more and it would be very interesting to discover what lies ahead for Reilly and Fisher.

Unorthodox (Netflix)

Estee is 19 and has been married for a year to Yanky. They are ultra orthodox Jews, living in what amounts to a ghetto in Williamsburg New York where the rules of life are rigid and women have few rights or freedoms. Marriage is not what Estee expected and she needs to get away. Can she escape her past and learn to live in the modern world? In four tight episodes the story alternates between Estee’s adventures in Berlin as she discovers her true self and flashbacks to her childhood, courtship and marriage. Israeli actress Shira Haas gives an astonishingly good performance as Estee in a nuanced show that provides interesting insights into a little-known world apart.

Taking Down Evelyn Tait, by Poppy Nwosu

Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Murphy is always in trouble. Largely it’s of her own making, but sometimes it’s engineered by her arch enemy Evelyn Tait - who is everything Lottie is not. Now Evelyn has gone too far, romancing Lottie’s best friend Grace just to get to her. But second best friend Jude has a plan to take Evelyn down – outdo her in goodness and get her to show her true colours in school and at home. Nwosu gives a somewhat idealised picture of teens and their ability to rapidly learn and change. Her depiction of their everyday acceptance of diversity is hopefully more accurate and is refreshing. There is a touch of naivety to Lottie that is a little hard to swallow at times, but her spirit and energy is infectious. She is a bright spark and her relationship with her headmaster is particularly enjoyable. For anyone who knows Adelaide there are some glitches in geography and the timeline but the evocation of an exceptionally hot early summer in Port Adelaide is lovely. Despite a few minor twists and turns it is always pretty clear where this story is going and it’s an enjoyable journey getting there.

The Bass Rock, by Evie Wyld

A strange small Scottish town, dominated by the landmark of the Bass Rock, has seen hundreds of years of men’s violence against each other, against children and, overwhelmingly, against women. The story moves back and forth in time, mainly between Ruth and her step-granddaughter Viv, who demonstrate the generational and personal trauma inflicted by this violence. Their stories are punctuated by others; some named, some anonymous, all victims of the patriarchy, which is reinforced by the structures of class and society. It makes for grim reading and should probably come with trigger warnings. Wyld sounds some notes of hope with her depiction of a few gentle men, who are not defined by the violence done to them, and by the women who foster resilience through their support of each other despite their differences. But the town is not unique; it represents the state of the world. Through all the Bass Rock endures, as do women, but erosion is inexorable and inevitable.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020), directed by David Dobkin

Lars has dreamed of representing Iceland at Eurovision since he was a young child and has honed his craft over decades, with his faithful collaborator Sigrit. Despite his dedication he is no closer to his dream until all other contenders are unexpectedly eliminated. Written with tongue firmly in cheek, this Netflix comedy would be a fabulously funny tribute to the Eurovision song contest if it weren’t for some serious miscasting. Rachel McAdam is a delight as Sigrit, Dan Stevens is great as the oily Russian competitor Alexander, even Pierce Brosnan is ok as grumpy dad. The problem is Will Ferrell as Lars, because he’s just not funny. It ‘s a pity because the silly OTT story is a perfectly joyous celebration of Eurovision, in all its diversity. There are great cameos from Demi Lovato, Graham Norton and many actual Eurovision performers and the supremely catchy and stupid songs could not be more appropriate. It is all an entertaining hoot except for Ferrell, who should really stick to behind the scenes.